“You can’t expect to be a leader of all the people and be divisive,” Christie said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” echoing other Republican governors. “You have to talk about themes, policies that unite people, and play to their aspirations and their goals and their hopes.”

Christie, who is eyeing a potential GOP presidential bid of his own but faces re-election next year in Democrat-heavy New Jersey, also took the occasion to make nice with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on national TV.

They talked up their recent agreement to provide Newark teachers with merit bonuses funded by a real gift — $100 million from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.